Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Denver police arrested a 42-year-old man for allegedly threatening a state lawmaker, her daughter and a colleague in a series of voice mails and emails.

The Denver Post reported on Monday that Franklin Glenn Sain was arrested on Feb. 22 on suspicion of harassing state Rep. Rhonda Fields (D) and unlawfully attempting to influence a public official.

Sain admitted to using racial and sexual slurs against Fields in a series of emails dated between Feb. 13 and Feb. 15. is also believed to have sent an unsigned letter to her office threatening “Death to both” her and her daughter, as well as the message, “I keep my 30 Round Magazines There Will Be Blood! I’m Coming For You!”

One of Sain’s emails, sent on Feb. 15, said of Fields and fellow state Rep. Beth McCann (D), “Hopefully somebody Gifords [sic] both of your asses with a gun,” an apparent reference to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), who was shot in the head in a public attack. Giffords survived, but the mass shooting resulted in the deaths of six people.

Fields told police the messages were so disturbing she skipped a Thursday town hall meeting out of fear for both her safety and the safety of others.

“I am grateful for the prompt work of the Colorado State Patrol in bringing this suspect to justice, and I also thank the Denver Police Department, which was instrumental in the investigation,” she said in a statement issued on Monday. “I will not be deterred by threats.”

Sain told police he was “just voicing some frustrations” over Fields’ support for tighter gun regulations in the state.

According to KMGH-TV, he denied being a racist in follow-up phone calls with authorities, despite his use of slurs against both Fields and President Barack Obama.

“I guarantee there is not enough law enforcement, or military to stop an all out overthrow of this government if you or that (racial slur) President tries to take our guns,” he said in one email. “Guarantee, we will make world war I and II look like child’s play, many will die…be prepared.”

KCNC-TV reported on Monday that the state legislature adopted four gun-control measures earlier this month, including two measures sponsored by Fields. One requires universal background checks on all firearms purchases in the state, and the other limits ammunition magazines to 8 rounds for handguns and 15 rounds for larger firearms. The measures will go before the state Senate in early March.

“It is fascinating that Representative Fields is just trying to do the best she can for the people of Colorado, and to keep Colorado children safe by limiting gun violence, and it’s met with more violence,” state Senate President John Morse told KCNC. “It is just appalling.”